Harry Wayne Casey — “KC” since his teenage years — and his R&B/pop/funk fusion are arguably as popular now as ever. From “(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty” to “Boogie Shoes,” the band's songs continue to surface in movies, sporting events, political conventions, parades and, certainly, wedding receptions.

“It's proof the music never died,” Casey said in a recent telephone interview. “Proof that disco didn't die, after all.”

More than 100 million records sold and three Grammys won back him up.

In the penultimate concert before the nature park becomes a state park, KC et al will take the Twin Oaks stage Thursday night for 90 minutes of boogie and booty shakin'. Immediately following his show, Silver Springs will host its annual fireworks display.

“As we look back in time over music, I think people realize the '70s was the last time of real music,” Casey said.

“When I started out, I wanted to bring some energy back to music. I thought music was very dark at the time, and I wanted to create a sound that was high-energy.”

In the process, he spawned a whole genre of music that would come to be known as disco.

But to a young assistant in the T.K. Records/Studio in Miami, he was writing what he simply called “R&B pop,” he said. “Disco didn't even exist in 1975.”

It wasn't until “Saturday Night Fever,” Casey added, that sound got its name — disco — although Rolling Stone magazine reportedly used the term in a 1973 feature.

“In the '80s they called it punk,” Casey said, “and now it's called ‘dance music.' ”

Whatever it's called, his music remained popular for but a relatively brief period in the early 1980s.

“My mother used to play it all the time when I was a kid,” recalled Ocalan Christi McCall, 35. “And she used to dance to it around the house.”

Forty years ago, Casey teamed up with bassist Richard Finch, according to the band's biography.

Their first record, “Blow Your Whistle,” cracked the R&B charts, but it wasn't until the second album, “KC and the Sunshine Band” in 1975, that they cracked open the music world.

The album would go triple platinum and boast four No. 1 hits, making the Miami group the first to hit the top of the charts four times in a year since the Beatles in 1964. A follow-up album a year later also went triple platinum and contained another handful of No. 1 hits.

“I just set out to make an album that was all up-tempo songs,” he said. “I just wanted the whole thing to be like a party record.”

As best as he can recall, Casey said, this is his first trip to Ocala. But he's looking forward to it.

“I'm a Florida boy, so any time I perform in Florida it's a special meaning; it's the Sunshine State, why not have the Sunshine Band at your show?” he added.

Two nights later, though, he'll be in another sunshine state, California, to be honored by the Palm Springs Walk of Stars along Palm Canyon Drive. He'll be the 357th star to receive a Golden Palm Star.

“Show-business honorees must have made an impact worldwide in the area of show business,” notes a Walk of Stars release.

KC and the Sunshine Band evidently impacted plenty of Marion County residents.

<p>Silver Springs gets down Thursday night with fireworks and KC and the Sunshine Band. </p><p>That's right. KC and the Sunshine Band. Thought disco was dead? Don't bet on it.</p><p>Harry Wayne Casey — “KC” since his teenage years — and his R&B/pop/funk fusion are arguably as popular now as ever. From “(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty” to “Boogie Shoes,” the band's songs continue to surface in movies, sporting events, political conventions, parades and, certainly, wedding receptions. </p><p>“It's proof the music never died,” Casey said in a recent telephone interview. “Proof that disco didn't die, after all.”</p><p>More than 100 million records sold and three Grammys won back him up.</p><p>In the penultimate concert before the nature park becomes a state park, KC et al will take the Twin Oaks stage Thursday night for 90 minutes of boogie and booty shakin'. Immediately following his show, Silver Springs will host its annual fireworks display.</p><p>“As we look back in time over music, I think people realize the '70s was the last time of real music,” Casey said.</p><p>“When I started out, I wanted to bring some energy back to music. I thought music was very dark at the time, and I wanted to create a sound that was high-energy.”</p><p>In the process, he spawned a whole genre of music that would come to be known as disco. </p><p>But to a young assistant in the T.K. Records/Studio in Miami, he was writing what he simply called “R&B pop,” he said. “Disco didn't even exist in 1975.”</p><p>It wasn't until “Saturday Night Fever,” Casey added, that sound got its name — disco — although Rolling Stone magazine reportedly used the term in a 1973 feature.</p><p>“In the '80s they called it punk,” Casey said, “and now it's called 'dance music.' ”</p><p>Whatever it's called, his music remained popular for but a relatively brief period in the early 1980s.</p><p>“My mother used to play it all the time when I was a kid,” recalled Ocalan Christi McCall, 35. “And she used to dance to it around the house.”</p><p>Forty years ago, Casey teamed up with bassist Richard Finch, according to the band's biography.</p><p>Their first record, “Blow Your Whistle,” cracked the R&B charts, but it wasn't until the second album, “KC and the Sunshine Band” in 1975, that they cracked open the music world.</p><p>The album would go triple platinum and boast four No. 1 hits, making the Miami group the first to hit the top of the charts four times in a year since the Beatles in 1964. A follow-up album a year later also went triple platinum and contained another handful of No. 1 hits.</p><p>“I just set out to make an album that was all up-tempo songs,” he said. “I just wanted the whole thing to be like a party record.”</p><p>As best as he can recall, Casey said, this is his first trip to Ocala. But he's looking forward to it.</p><p>“I'm a Florida boy, so any time I perform in Florida it's a special meaning; it's the Sunshine State, why not have the Sunshine Band at your show?” he added.</p><p>Two nights later, though, he'll be in another sunshine state, California, to be honored by the Palm Springs Walk of Stars along Palm Canyon Drive. He'll be the 357th star to receive a Golden Palm Star.</p><p>“Show-business honorees must have made an impact worldwide in the area of show business,” notes a Walk of Stars release. </p><p>KC and the Sunshine Band evidently impacted plenty of Marion County residents.</p><p>“Grad Night, Disney World, June 1978! Such fun!” recalled Rosemary Jones when asked about KC on Facebook.</p><p>Becky Gallentine Hicks added: “We'll be there for the show. Can't wait, actually. Graduated from Forest High School in 1979 and one of his songs was our senior class song. We're bringing my 2-year-old granddaughter, who always tells me 'play “shake your booty,” Mimi!' ”</p><p>Casey said he's working on two albums, one containing 17 classic songs and a second containing new songs. He expects it to be released by the end of the summer.</p><p>But Thursday night is for classics only; he doesn't plan to perform any of the new tunes, not even his newest, “I Can't Get You Out of My Mind,” downloadable from iTunes and Amazon.com.</p><p>“That would be too unfamiliar,” he said.</p><p>Uh-huh, uh-huh.</p><p><i>Contact Rick Allen at rick.allen@starbanner.com or 867-4154.</i></p>